Garment carrier

ABSTRACT

A garment carrier comprises a jacket or similar apparel for wearing on the torso. A compartment is provided on the rear of the jacket into which the garments to be carried are inserted. In use, the garments are held flat against the wearer&#39;s back in a position which enables the wearer to jog, cycle or pursue other activities without having to support the garments by hand.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation in part application of international application number PCT/GB2007/050263 filed May 14, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is considered to be part of the disclosure of the accompanying application and hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a garment carrier.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Garment carriers are known for transporting garments mounted on hangers. Such carriers generally comprise a front and rear rectangular fabric panels, which are interconnected around their edges. An opening extends longitudinally along the centre of the front panel and a zip fastener is provided for closing the opening. An aperture is formed in the upper end of the carrier, in line with the opening.

In use, garments on hangers can be inserted into the carrier through the opening, the hooks of the hangers then being passed through the aperture. The garments can then be transported by grasping the hangers by their hooks which extend through the upper end of the cover.

Many people are choosing to cycle or jog to work and carry a change of clothes, since they do not wish to cycle or jog in their work clothes. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to carry a traditional garment carrier of the above-mentioned type and thus it can be difficult for cyclists and joggers to carry work clothes in rucksacks and panniers without creasing them.

The inventor has devised a garment carrier which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention relates to a garment carrier comprising front and rear portions of flexible material, which are interconnected around their edges to define a compartment which extends over a substantial region of the rear portion and comprises an opening enabling insertion of a garment to be carried into the compartment, means being provided inside the compartment for supporting the or each garment to be carried, wherein first and second shoulder straps are provided for carrying the garment carrier on a wearer's back.

The garment supporting means preferably comprises a hanger. Alternatively, the garment supporting means could comprise one or more hooks or clips disposed inside the compartment. A garment may be supported by said hook(s) or clip(s).

The garment supporting means could be fixedly secured within the garment carrier. Preferably, however, the garment supporting means is removably mountable. In use, the garment supporting means can preferably be removed from the garment carrier whilst supporting one or more garments.

The garment carrier may be provided with a waist strap locatable around a wearer's waist.

The front and rear portions are preferably foldable to reduce the size of the garment carrier. A releasable fastener is preferably provided to secure the front and rear portions in a folded position. The releasable fastener may, for example, comprise one or more of the following: a zip, a pop fastener, a button, a clip, a buckle or a strap.

At least one pocket may be provided in the first shoulder strap and/or the second shoulder strap. Preferably, the at least one pocket is sized to carry a cellular telephone or a music player.

A light and/or reflective device may mounted on the garment carrier. Attachment means may be provided on the first shoulder strap and/or the second shoulder strap for mounting the light and/or reflective device.

The garment carrier may comprise means for hanging the garment carrier. For example, a hook may be provided for hanging the garment carrier from a door or a frame. The hanging means may be fixedly mounted on an outside of the garment carrier. Alternatively, the hanging means may be adapted to be stowed inside the garment carrier when it is not in use.

Viewed from a further aspect, the present invention relates to a rucksack adapted to carry at least one garment, the rucksack having a first shoulder strap, a second shoulder strap and a compartment for receiving said at least one garment, wherein means are provided inside the compartment for supporting the or each garment to be carried.

Viewed from a still further aspect, there is provided a garment carrier comprising front and rear portions of flexible material, which are interconnected around their edges to define an article of apparel for wearing on the torso, and a compartment which extends over a substantial region of the rear portion and comprises an opening enabling insertion of a garment to be carried into the compartment.

The size of the compartment on the back of the carrier is sufficient to contain work clothes, such as shirts, blouses, jackets, trousers and skirts in a flat condition without excessive folding. The carrier can then be worn as apparel on the torso, with the garments being retained against the wearer's back in a relatively crease proof manner.

The garment may define apparel, such as a coat, jacket or cape for wearing on the torso. The apparel preferably comprises sleeves and an opening for the wearer's neck. The front of the carrier may comprise an opening to facilitate donning of the apparel.

Preferably the opening of the compartment extends longitudinally of the back portion of the carrier, between top and bottom ends of thereof. In an alternative embodiment, the opening extends at least partially around the compartment adjacent a peripheral edge thereof.

In order to enable a jacket or other garment for wearing on the torso to be carried, the compartment is preferably wider and/or longer than the apparel defined by the carrier.

In one embodiment, the compartment is defined between a first panel which defines the rear of the defined apparel, and a second panel, the opening preferably being provided in said second panel.

In an alternative embodiment, the compartment may be defined between a pair of panels of a detachable pouch, means being provided for attaching the pouch to a rear panel of the apparel defined by the carrier.

Preferably means are provided inside the compartment for supporting the or each garment to be carried.

Preferably the garment supporting means comprises a hanger, means preferably being provided for mounting the hanger inside the compartment.

Preferably the hanger is formed of a flexible material.

Alternatively or additionally, the garment supporting means may comprise one or more hooks or clips disposed inside the compartment.

Preferably the carrier comprises means for hanging the carrier against a door, wall or other structure. Also, the carrier may comprise means to enable clothes to be hung from the carrier whilst dressing: this could be achieved by a hook or other member that can be extended outwardly from the compartment when needed.

Also in accordance with this invention, there is provided a method of carrying a garment comprising providing a garment carrier as hereinbefore defined and inserting the garment to be carried into the compartment through said opening.

Preferably the carrier is donned following insertion of the garment into the compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a garment carrier in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a second embodiment of a garment carrier in accordance with this invention when in use and with the rear panel thereof being omitted for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of a garment carrier in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a garment carrier in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation of the garment carrier in accordance with the fourth embodiment being worn by an individual;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the garment carrier in accordance with the fourth embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the garment carrier in accordance with the fourth embodiment being worn by an individual.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a garment carrier comprising a front portion 10 and a rear portion 11, which are interconnected to define an article of apparel in the form of a jacket for wearing on the torso.

The jacket comprises a front panel 12 having a longitudinally-extending opening 13 provided with a fastener (not shown) and a rear panel 14. The jacket further comprises sleeves 15, 16 and a neck collar 17.

The rear portion 11 of the garment carrier comprises a back panel 18, which is positioned against the rear panel 14 of the jacket. An opening 19 extends longitudinally of substantially the full length of the back panel 18, with respective sides of the opening 19 being provided with respective portions 20 h, 20 p of a hook-and-pile or zip fastener.

The opening 19 provides access to a compartment 21 defined between the rear panel 14 of the jacket and the back panel 18 of the carrier. It will be appreciated that the compartment 21 extends over the entire rear portion 11 of the carrier. In a further embodiment, the rear panel 18 of the carrier may be larger than the back panel 14 of the jacket, so as to provide a compartment of increased size as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2.

A conventionally-shaped clothes hanger 23 formed of a flexible material is provided for insertion into the compartment 21. A clip or hook 24 may be provided for mounting the hanger 23 in a position between the shoulder portions of the jacket.

In use, shirts, blouses, jackets, trousers and skirts can be hung on the hanger 23 prior to insertion of the latter into the compartment 21. The hanger 23 can then be mounted in-situ across the shoulders by fastening it to the hook or clip 24. The opening 19 in the back panel can then be sealed by the hook and pile fastener 20 h, 20 p to prevent the ingress of water.

The jacket can then be donned by the user and it will be appreciated that the garments on the hanger 23 are held flat against the wearer's back in a position which enables the wearer to jog, cycle or pursue other activities without having to support the garments by hand.

In an alternative embodiment, a u-shaped opening 31 (shown in outline in FIG. 1) extends at least partially around opposite sides and one end of the back panel 18 to define a flap which can be opened to gain access to the compartment 21.

The panels are preferably formed of a waterproof material.

Referring to FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of garment carrier in accordance with the present invention and like parts are given like reference numerals. In this embodiment, a plurality of clips 30 are provided inside the compartment 21 for engaging and supporting garments e.g. 32. The clips 30 may be repositionable. The clips 30 may also be used in conjunction with a hanger of the kind shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of garment carrier in accordance with the present invention and like parts are given like reference numerals. In this embodiment, the compartment 121 is defined between a pair of fabric panels 114, 115 of a pouch 116 which is detachably fastened to the rear panel 14 of the jacket by fasteners 115. The rear panel 118 of the pouch is provided with an opening 119.

A garment carrier 200 in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. A perspective view of the garment carrier 200 is shown in FIG. 5. The garment carrier 200 is similar to the previous embodiments but is provided with first and second shoulder straps 201, 203 to allow the garment carrier 200 to be carried by a wearer W on their back.

The garment carrier 200 comprises first and second panels 205, 207 which form a first compartment 209 into which one or more garments may be positioned. A zip fastener (not shown) may be provided in the second panel 207 to provide access to the interior of the compartment 209. The first and second panels 205, 207 are preferably flexible and may be folded over on themselves to reduce the overall size of the garment carrier 200, as shown in FIG. 5. A releasable fastener 211, such as button, clip, popper or zip, is provided to retain the first and second panels 205, 207 in their folded configuration. The position of the first and second panels 205, 207 when they are not folded is illustrated by a dashed line X in FIG. 6. The first and second panels 205, 207 could serve as a mud flap or the like when they are unfolded.

The garment carrier 200 is provided with means to support a garment within the compartment 209. In the present embodiment, the garment support means comprises a hanger 213, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6. Preferably, the hanger 213 is removably mounted within the garment carrier 200. This arrangement is desirable since it allows the garment to be removed from the garment carrier 200 whilst still supported on the hanger 213.

A support means is provided on the garment carrier 200 to allow the garment carrier 200 to be supported. Preferably, the garment carrier 200 can be hung by the support means, for example on a door or a frame. In the present embodiment, the support means is a hook 215. The hook 215 is provided on the outside of the garment carrier 200. It will be appreciated that the support means could be adapted to enable it to be stowed within the garment carrier 200 when not in use.

As shown in FIG. 7, a pocket 217 is provided on the first shoulder strap 201. A cellular telephone or entertainment device, such as an mp3 player. may be carried in the pocket 217. A light or a reflective safety device (not shown) may be attached to the first and/or second shoulder strap 201, 203. As shown in FIG. 8, a waist strap 219 is provided to be worn around a wearer's waist.

The first and second shoulder straps 201, 213 are integrally formed with a backing panel 219 for location against the wearer's back. As shown in FIG. 5, side panels 221 may be provided to form a second compartment 223 between the first panel 205 and the backing panel 219. A zip (not shown) may be provided for accessing the interior of the second compartment 223. The side panels 221 could be made of fabric or other flexible material. In certain preferred embodiments, the side panels 221 may be formed from a mesh material to allow airflow through the second compartment 223. It is envisaged that the second compartment 223 would be suitable for carrying shoes or sanitary/washing items. An additional fastener (or a series of fasteners) could be provided to allow the first panel 205 to be releasably secured to the backing panel 219 to compress the second compartment 223 when not in use.

A garment carrier in accordance with the present invention is simple and inexpensive in constriction yet provides a simple and reliable way of enabling persons to cycle or jog or pursue other activities whilst carrying a change of clothes in an un-creased condition.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that further modifications and adaptations of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. A garment carrier comprising: front and rear portions of flexible material, which are interconnected around their edges to define a compartment which extends over a substantial region of the rear portion and comprises an opening enabling insertion of a garment to be carried in the compartment, means being provided inside the compartment for supporting a garment to be carried, wherein first and second shoulder straps are provided for carrying the garment carrier on a wearer's back.
 2. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment supporting means comprises a hanger.
 3. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment supporting means comprises one or more hooks or clips disposed inside the compartment.
 4. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment supporting means is removably mountable in the garment carrier.
 5. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a waist strap locatable around a wearer's waist.
 6. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a releasable fastener to secure the front and rear portions in a folded position.
 7. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one pocket is provided in at least one of said first shoulder strap and said second shoulder strap.
 8. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein a light is mounted on the garment carrier.
 9. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for hanging the garment carrier.
 10. A rucksack adapted to carry at least one garment, the rucksack having a first shoulder strap, a second shoulder strap and a compartment for receiving said at least one garment, wherein means are provided inside the compartment for supporting a garment to be carried.
 11. A garment carrier comprising front and rear portions of flexible material, which are interconnected around their edges to define an article of apparel for wearing on the torso, and a compartment which extends over a substantial region of the rear portion and comprises an opening enabling insertion of a garment to be carried in the compartment.
 12. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the compartment is wider and/or longer than the apparel defined by the carrier.
 13. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein means are provided inside the compartment for supporting the or each garment to be carried.
 14. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 13, wherein the garment supporting means comprises a hanger.
 15. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 14, further comprising means for mounting the hanger inside the compartment.
 16. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 14, wherein the hanger is formed of a flexible material.
 17. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the garment supporting means comprises one or more hooks or clips disposed inside the compartment.
 18. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the carrier comprises means for hanging the carrier against a door, wall or other structure.
 19. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means to enable clothes to be hung from the carrier whilst dressing.
 20. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a hook or other member that can be extended outwardly from the compartment and which enables clothes to be hung from the carrier whilst dressing.
 21. A garment carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the opening extends at least partially around the compartment adjacent a peripheral edge thereof. 